My Background

In practice in a diverse range of settings for over 30 years. LIcenced as a Psychologist in California. I provide long-term, and short-term psychotherapy for adults and elders, individuals and couples. I also provide clinical consultation and supervision.

Background Summary

Let the beauty you love be what you do;there are thousands of waysto kneel and kiss the earth.

Rumi

Qualifications

I have a doctorate (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology, and am a Licensed Psychologist in the State of California. I have been providing mental health services for over 30 years in a range of settings including Private Practice, half-way houses, Community Mental Health Clinics, a University Counseling Center, and a Psychoanalytic Residential Treatment Clinic. Much of my work has been in multicultural settings.

I have years of experience providing long-term, and short-term treatments, drawing on attachment research, trauma treatment research and practice, psychoanalytic-psychotherapy approaches, Jungian understanding, family systems, cognitive behavioral therapy, and somatic (bodymind) awareness practices. My treatment approach is relational depth psychotherapy with attention to the wisdom of the body.

Current positions

In my private practice I provide ongoing individual and couples psychotherapy, both long and short-term, for adults. I also consult for people who want to assess their needs for psychotherapy, or who have a relative or close friend who is experiencing serious health, lifestyle, or psychological problems.

In addition, I provide clinical consultation and supervision for therapists; I supervise for students at the Wright Institute.

I provide classes and workshops throughout the Bay Area on: The Role of the Body in Psychotherapy; Working with Trauma and Dissociation; Clinical Responses to Crises; Working with Psychosis; Somatic Countertransference and its Uses.

Previous positions

Before its closure in 2007, I worked at the Boyer House Foundation, as Psychotherapist in charge of treatment. I provided 3x/week psychoanalytic psychotherapy for residents of the assisted independent living program and coordinated and liaised with family therapists and milieu therapists using a team-treatment model.As a member of the China American Psychoanalytic Alliance, I provided psychoanalytic psychotherapy and supervision with people in China, via Skype.

For several years I worked at Richmond Area Multiservices, a Community Mental Health Clinic which is also an APA training site. There, I provided long-term psychotherapy and case-management for severely mentally ill adults; I provided clinical supervision for staff, interns and trainees, and I served as Officer of the Day, providing 5150 assessments and clinical crisis management. In addition, I provided trainings for staff, interns and trainees.I have taught graduate classes on Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy; Foundations of Counseling and Psychotherapy; Somatics: the Role of the Body in Psychotherapy with the Elderly; and a year-long Case Conference.

For twelve years I had a private practice as a somatic (body-mind) therapist. My work there was profoundly influenced by my study and practice of Authentic Movement, Continuum Dance-Voice meditation, BodyMind Centering, Aikido, Yoga, Contact-Improv, CranioSacral therapy, Mindel's Process work, and Gestalt.

Presentations

I have presented at the Annual Somatics Conference at Ohio State University, and at the Annual Conferences of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies; the International Society for the Study of Dissociation; and the International Society for the Psycholological Treatment of the Schizophrenias and other Psychoses.

Writing

Among other papers, I have published on the role of somatic awareness and countertransference, and reviewed books on psychotherapy theory and practice. My somatics paper can be viewed at: Your own body of wisdom: BMDP 2:2 2007

Cressida A. Forester, Psy.D.

With over 30 years in practice, I provide psychotherapy for adults and elders, for individuals and couples. Depth Relational Psychotherapy with the body in mind. I can help you with relationship issues, depression, anxiety, loss, grief, mood disorders, trauma and abuse, body awareness and issues, somatic awareness.